title: Urinary connective tissue growth factor is associated with human renal allograft fibrogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a key mediator of tissue fibrogenesis in kidney disease. Its involvement in renal allograft fibrosis was recently demonstrated in a mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied the association between urinary CTGF (CTGFu) levels and renal allograft fibrosis during the first 2 years after transplantation. Histologic and biochemical data were collected from 315 kidney transplant recipients enrolled in a protocol biopsy-based clinical program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3, 12, and 24 months after transplantation, CTGFu levels were independently associated with the degree of interstitial fibrosis in protocol biopsies, scored according to the revised 1997 Banff criteria. In a subgroup of 164 patients with pristine biopsies at 3 months, higher CTGFu levels at 3 months were associated with moderate and severe interstitial fibrosis developed at 24 months after transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As it is readily quantifiable in urine, a role for CTGFu as a noninvasive candidate biomarker and predictor of human renal allograft fibrogenesis deserves further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metalidis
authors.forename: Stefan H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: van Vuuren
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Broekhuizen
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lerut
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naesens
authors.forename: Stephan J L
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: Jack F M
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wetzels
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldschmeding
authors.forename: Dirk R J
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kuypers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor